Naughty Forty
Encyclopedia
Naughty Forty is a football hooligan firm linked to the English
Premier League team, Stoke City F.C.
firms in England.
In January 1998, dozens of hooligans invaded the pitch at the club's new Britannia Stadium
at the end of a 7-0 Division One defeat by Birmingham City
and several seats were thrown onto the pitch. This was one of several traumatic events in one of the worst seasons in the club's history, as they were relegated from Division One at the end of it.
On 21 October 2001 84 people were arrested after rival fans clashed at Stoke City's local Potteries derby
with Port Vale
. Violence broke out in the streets around Vale Park
in the Burslem
district of Stoke
. There were two pitch invasions and fans from both clubs threw missiles at each other. About 300 police officers were drafted in to keep the peace. On 29 December hooligans from the Naughty Forty and another firm associated with the club the Under 5's fought with hooligans from Huddersfield Town
in Huddersfield
. In the worst incident Stoke fans smashed up and set fire to the White Hart pub, causing extensive damage.
On 28 April 2002 Stoke City played Cardiff City
at home. Staffordshire Police mounted a large operation and had to call in officers from other forces and around 1,000 officers were on duty on the day. The match had to be halted for seven minutes as the police attempted to arrest Stoke hooligans in the ground. After the game police were pelted with stones, and Cardiff City chairman Sam Hammam
had his car vandalised.
On 1 May, violence again erupted between hooligans of the two clubs when they met in a Division Two
play-off match. Five people were arrested as trouble erupted after Cardiff lost the match, when hooligans from both clubs confronted each othert outside Ninian Park
. Three police officers needed hospital treatment following disturbances while a number of others suffered minor injuries. Officers using batons struggled to keep the two sets of fans apart as missiles, including stones, bottles and fence posts, were thrown from the Cardiff side.
Former N40 founding member, Mark Chester, wrote a book about his exploits with the firm in 2006 stating that he was a reformed character, and that he was not proud of his past, having moved on from the violence of football hooligans.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Premier League team, Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
Background
At their height, the firm had over 700 members and were among the more violent football hooliganFootball hooliganism
Football hooliganism, sometimes referred to by the British media as the English Disease, is unruly and destructive behaviour—such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation—by association football club fans...
firms in England.
In January 1998, dozens of hooligans invaded the pitch at the club's new Britannia Stadium
Britannia Stadium
The Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
at the end of a 7-0 Division One defeat by Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and several seats were thrown onto the pitch. This was one of several traumatic events in one of the worst seasons in the club's history, as they were relegated from Division One at the end of it.
On 21 October 2001 84 people were arrested after rival fans clashed at Stoke City's local Potteries derby
Potteries derby
The Potteries derby is the football local derby in Stoke-on-Trent between Port Vale and Stoke City. The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals; this has led to a heated atmosphere at these matches, especially with the rise of football hooliganism and the 'Naughty Forty'...
with Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
. Violence broke out in the streets around Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
in the Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
district of Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
. There were two pitch invasions and fans from both clubs threw missiles at each other. About 300 police officers were drafted in to keep the peace. On 29 December hooligans from the Naughty Forty and another firm associated with the club the Under 5's fought with hooligans from Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
. In the worst incident Stoke fans smashed up and set fire to the White Hart pub, causing extensive damage.
On 28 April 2002 Stoke City played Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
at home. Staffordshire Police mounted a large operation and had to call in officers from other forces and around 1,000 officers were on duty on the day. The match had to be halted for seven minutes as the police attempted to arrest Stoke hooligans in the ground. After the game police were pelted with stones, and Cardiff City chairman Sam Hammam
Sam Hammam
Samir "Sam" Hammam is a Lebanese business man, most notable for his high profile involvement in British football clubs.-Career:...
had his car vandalised.
On 1 May, violence again erupted between hooligans of the two clubs when they met in a Division Two
Division Two
Division Two may refer to either:* Football League Two the current fourth tier of the English football league system* The Football League Second Division, the former second and later third tier of the English football league system...
play-off match. Five people were arrested as trouble erupted after Cardiff lost the match, when hooligans from both clubs confronted each othert outside Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
. Three police officers needed hospital treatment following disturbances while a number of others suffered minor injuries. Officers using batons struggled to keep the two sets of fans apart as missiles, including stones, bottles and fence posts, were thrown from the Cardiff side.
Former N40 founding member, Mark Chester, wrote a book about his exploits with the firm in 2006 stating that he was a reformed character, and that he was not proud of his past, having moved on from the violence of football hooligans.
See also
- CasualsCasualsThe casual subculture is a subsection of association football culture that is typified by football hooliganism and the wearing of expensive European designer clothing. The subculture originated in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s when many hooligans started wearing designer labels and...
- Football hooliganismFootball hooliganismFootball hooliganism, sometimes referred to by the British media as the English Disease, is unruly and destructive behaviour—such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation—by association football club fans...
- List of hooligan firms
- HooliganismHooliganismHooliganism refers to unruly, destructive, aggressive and bullying behaviour. Such behaviour is commonly associated with sports fans. The term can also apply to general rowdy behaviour and vandalism, often under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs....
- Millwall BushwackersMillwall BushwackersThe Millwall Bushwackers are a hooligan firm associated with Millwall F.C..-Background:The original firm associated with Millwall was known as F-Troop....
- Aston Villa HardcoreAston Villa HardcoreAston Villa Hardcore is a football hooligan firm associated with the Premier League club Aston Villa, based in Birmingham, England.-Background:...
Further reading
- Chester, Mark (2004). Naughty: The Story of a Football Hooligan Gang, Milo Books, ISBN 978-1903854266
- Chester, Mark (2007). Sex, Drugs and Football Thugs: On the Road with the Naughty Forty , Milo Books, ISBN 978-1903854563